This invention relates generally to brake systems for towing vehicle and trailer combinations.
The manufacture, sale and use of towed recreational vehicles of the camping or mobile home variety has accelerated at a rapid rate. These trailers must of course be provided with effective brakes adapted for operation in conjunction with the towing vehicle brakes. Many presently offered towing vehicle-trailer braking systems provide high degrees of reliability and control.
The general object of the present invention is to provide a braking system for a trailer which further improves braking control of a towed and towing vehicle combination.
A more specific object is to provide such a towing vehicle-trailer braking system which offers improved brake balance, braking control reliability, and stopping ability under all normally encountered braking conditions with all normally available combinations of towing and towed vehicles. A related object is to offer a consequent increase in confidence level to the towing vehicle driver.
Another object is to provide such a system which requires but relatively few major components, which can be relatively quickly and easily installed, and which can be offered at relatively low cost.
Yet another object is to provide such a braking system which can be utilized with trailer brakes of the hydraulic caliper disc type. An associated object is to provide such a system which minimizes or eliminates entirely the phenomena of brake fade during heavy brake usage such as can be encountered when slowing and stopping from high speed. Also minimized are related brake grab or premature lock-up.
Still another object is to provide a towing vehicle-trailer brake system which can be used by a wide variety of towing vehicles and a wide variety of trailers without noticeable differences in overall braking characteristics or differences in the braking performance as different combinations of towing vehicles and trailers are considered.
A further object of the invention is to provide a brake system of the type described which can be used with a vacuum over hydraulic or vacuum suspended trailer brake booster unit. An associated object is to provide such a system which can be easily adapted for use with either an air over hydraulic or hydraulic over hydraulic booster unit as well.
Still another object is to provide such a trailer brake system which will accommodate direct adaptation of an anti-skid control to the system.
Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent upon reading the following detailed description and upon reference to the drawings. Throughout the drawings, like reference numerals refer to like parts.